US 11,859,920 B2
Active vortex generator to improve heat transfer in heat exchangers
Kourosh Shoele, Tallahassee, FL (US); and Mehdi Vahab, Tallahassee, FL (US)
Assigned to The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc., Tallahassee, FL (US)
Filed by The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc., Tallahassee, FL (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/062,439.
Application 18/062,439 is a continuation of application No. 16/782,117, filed on Feb. 5, 2020, granted, now 11,525,640.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/805,491, filed on Feb. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0111989 A1, Apr. 13, 2023
Int. Cl. F28F 13/12 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 13/125 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
an enclosed cooling fluid channel comprising a heat transfer surface, the cooling fluid channel adapted to receive a flow of a liquid cooling fluid along a length of the cooling fluid channel;
an anchor extending across the cooling fluid channel in a direction perpendicular to the length of the cooling fluid channel and parallel to the heat transfer surface;
an active vortex generator affixed to the anchor and configured to extend in a direction parallel to the heat transfer surface; and
an actuator coupled to the anchor and configured to move the anchor along an oscillation path within the cooling fluid channel, wherein the oscillation path within the cooling fluid channel is perpendicular to the heat transfer surface and is closer to the heat transfer surface than a surface of the cooling fluid channel opposite to the heat transfer surface such that vortices generated by the active vortex generator are produced in a thermal boundary layer along the heat transfer surface.